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Sir Astley Paston Cooper (1768–1841): the Man and His Personality

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Sir Astley Paston Cooper (1768–1841): the Man and His Personality Doganay Sir Astley Paston Cooper 209 Journal of Medical Biography 23(4) 209–216 ! The Author(s) 2015 Sir Astley Paston Cooper (1768–1841): Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav The man and his personality DOI: 10.1177/0967772013506683 jmb.sagepub.com Emre Doganay Abstract The most acclaimed surgeon of his time, Astley Cooper, a man from Norfolk and a student of the eminent John Hunter, was an outstandingly successful surgeon. With his accomplishments in surgery and experiments in dissection he soon became a prominent figure and received recognition worldwide. At the young age of 21 he was appointed Demonstrator in Anatomy at St Thomas’s Hospital in London and two years later was made Joint Lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery. With his passion for anatomy, his love for surgery and his expanding knowledge he became Surgeon to Guy’s Hospital in 1800 and in the same year was elected a Fellow to the Royal Society. His attainments led him to become surgeon to three successive British monarchs as well as receiving a bestowal of Baronetcy. Through his edifying lectures, fastidious experiments and publications on anatomy and pathology he has inspired and enlightened many budding anatomists and surgeons and the principles of his teachings still prevail in practice today. Keywords Astley Cooper, John Hunter, William Cooper, Isaac Newton, Brooke Hall, Henry Cline, Benjamin Travers, Copley Medal, Benjamin Brodie, Serjeant Surgeon The English county of Norfolk to go to University and instead he received domestic education from his parents and in the meantime was Astley Cooper was born on 23 August 1768 at Brooke in sanctioned to run wild and adopt a devious boyhood, Norfolk. His father Reverend Samuel Cooper (1740– finding himself in all sorts of escapades.1 1800) was a country clergyman and his mother, Maria Astley Cooper’s interest in surgery may have Susanna Bransby (1737–1807), a descendant of Sir Isaac stemmed from a memorable incident in his youth Newton, was a successful authoress. Of Astley Coopers’ where, under immense pressure, he demonstrated an nine siblings, five of the girls died of tuberculosis as did act of boldness and ceased a haemorrhage: one boy, Samuel Lovick (1763–1817), who was father of Bransby Cooper (1792–1853).1 A foster brother of mine, named John Love, aged The family was wealthy. Astley spent much of his about 13 years was playing and fell as a wagon was youth in the opulent Brooke Hall. During the early passing, and one of the wheels of the wagon went years of his life he was sent to live with a wet nurse, Mrs over the back of the knee, as he lay with his face to Love, an unconventional decision taken by his mother. the ground. The wagon stopped and when he was He spent five years on the Love’s farm and later referred drawn from under it, a stream of blood directly burst to them as his adopted family. In the later years of his life, from his ham; a handkerchief was tied tightly over the while writing a treatise on the breast, he heavily criticised wound, and was carried home in a fainting state.3 being wet-nursed: ‘All animals, even those of the most ferocious character, show affection for their young – do At the expense of his foster brother, Cooper began his not forsake them, but yield them their milk, – do not academic journey and went on to gain experience in neglect, but nurse and watch over them’.2 apothecary. He soon became apprenticed to Edward Raised in a propitious environment where both his parents flourished in prosperous careers and his broth- Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton General Hospital, ers obtained degrees at Cambridge, Cooper’s paternal Southampton, UK grandfather was a surgeon at Norwich and his uncle Corresponding author: William Cooper was senior surgeon to Guy’s Emre Doganay, Somers Cancer Research Building, MP824, Southampton Hospital. Under these favourable conditions he was General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK. reputed to be a poor scholar who lacked aspirations Email: [email protected] 210 Journal of Medical Biography 23(4) Digby, a local Surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich and in 1789 at the age of 21 was appointed demonstra- Hospital. His interest in surgery was kindled during tor in anatomy at St Thomas’s. He continued with his this time when he watched Mr Donnee operate on a studies and became more absorbed in his private experi- bladder calculus. ments on stray animals. He was becoming a distin- Cooper decided to embark in Surgery as a career and guished figure and with his willingness to teach he moved to London in August 1784. He was articled to proved to be a remarkable demonstrator. his uncle William Cooper, Senior Surgeon to Guy’s Furthermore, he gained much popularity as a member Hospital.4 of the Physical Society where he spoke with courage and fortitude at meetings.6 New beginning In 1791, Cooper was appointed lecturer in anatomy as an assistant to Mr. Cline. Still a student and a novice Up until 1825, Guy’s and St Thomas’s were referred to in surgery, Cline saw it suitable to do business with as the United Hospitals, closely affiliated with each Cooper largely because of his aspiring personality and other and students of each institution attended teaching thirst for teaching. It was at this time largely as a result in both hospitals. Lectures in medicine were given at of Cooper’s suggestions that the traditional teaching of Guy’s and combined lectures in anatomy and surgery at anatomy and surgery were separated. He believed there St Thomas’s. was more to Surgery than anatomy and that pathology, Cooper demonstrated quite a somnolent attitude embryology and physiology all had to be integrated. towards his studies; failing to impress in his first This was a radical change to be instituted by such a year, his uncle had no inclination to provide for young man.6 him. This left Cooper in a predicament and he In 1791 Cooper married Ann Cock, the daughter of switched allegiance to Mr Henry Cline (1750–1827), a wealthy merchant who left Cooper a fortune of Surgeon to St Thomas’s, a colleague of William 14,000 and bought a house for them in Jefferies Cooper and student of John Hunter (1728–1793). Square. In the summer of 1792 the couple travelled to Cline, unlike William Cooper, was patient with his Paris, a City that greeted them with heightening polit- student and one day challenged Cooper to dissect an ical uneasiness. The purpose of Cooper’s visit was to arm. To his amazement, with skill and precision study the work and teachings of the great French sur- Cooper managed to complete the task. This episode geons for which he attended the lectures and operations may have transformed his indolent attitude, marking of Dessault and Chopart (1743–1795).3 the beginning of his career. Indeed, Cline imposed much influence on Cooper; the solidarity which arose Surgeon between the two men was thought to be an encoura- ging factor in establishing the firm foundations of With seven years of hard work behind him, at the age what Cooper was to become. Eager to study cadavers of 23 Astley Cooper stood before a long career of and accompany Cline on ward rounds, slowly his achievements. He devoted himself wholly to his work knowledge began to sprout as he grew confident in and desired to sharpen and enhance his training. He the field of anatomy and surgery.5 was determined not to seek private practice and offered Astley Cooper attended a series of lectures given by his time to see non-paying patients. In his own words John Hunter whose character and wisdom had imme- diate impact on him. Hunter’s lectures on aneurysms For three years after my apprenticeship expired, I did and his experimental work engaged Cooper’s attention not seek business, but devoted myself to the study of and inspired him to conduct animal experiments of his my profession, and to teaching the students entirely. own. He would ligate femoral arteries and observe the My industry at this time may be gathered from the animals heal and later kill them to demonstrate collat- following circumstances.3 eral circulation. Cooper soon became engrossed in animal experiments that he would conduct on the The first course of lectures he gave on surgery was dis- blood vessels of dogs and cats. appointing. His teachings were unsuitable for students and this was reflected in the poor attendance of students Professional development at his second course of lectures. Cooper resolved this by adopting a distinct fashion of teaching, one that was less In October 1787, at the start of his fourth year, Cooper vivid and far less abstract and designed to attract and visited Edinburgh where he studied under Professor retain the attention of the students. He introduced cases Alexander Monro Secundus (1733–1817), son of from the hospital wards and selected patients suffering Aleander Monro Primus (1697–1767). After seven from a disease that had a bearing on the subject of his months in Edinburgh, Cooper returned to London lecture. By the winter season of 1793 Cooper had Doganay Sir Astley Paston Cooper 211 become a reputed lecturer and this was reflected by the Furthermore, Cooper’s private practice was growing overwhelming attendance of his students.1 and with his new position at Guy’s he was earning 1000 At the age of 25 he was merited as Professor of a year. He was absorbed in his work and did not com- Anatomy at Surgeon’s Hall.
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